The Longest Journey Of Life And Love
by AkiretheGoddess
Summary: KSh MS IYOC What happens when Kagome tries to return to her friends but can't, and she ends up seven years after she left her friends? Inuyasha has left, Miroku and Sango have started a family, and Shippo... well, you'll just have to read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hi everyone! I just wanted to try something different, so here's a Shippo and Kagome fic, since there's not many.**_

_**Disclaimer: So I have to say it? Fine. I. Don't. Own. Inuyasha. And. Friends. There, I said it. Happy now?**_

**Chapter One- The Seven Year Journey Through Time And Its Consequences**

As Kagome Higurashi was gathering water so that she could help Sango make dinner for the hungry Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo, she noticed a strange aura. As she didn't sense any Jewel Shards, she didn't think much of it. As she began the walk back, she came across a mysterious lizard youkai. When it slithered up to her, she instinctively dropped the buckets and drew an arrow from the quiver on her back.

"You might not want to do that, miko," it hissed. As she notched the arrow and pulled back the string, the demon attacked her. When it sunk its fangs into her arm, she let out a high-pitched scream, alerting everyone who awaited her return. While she lay writhing due to the pain, Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and Sango had heard her cry and had rushed to her. The last thing Kagome remembered before she passed out was Shippo standing over her and trying to get her to awaken.

When she awoke, she noticed that she couldn't feel her arm. She started to try and sit up, only to be stopped by the unbearable pain. Soon, Inuyasha and the others came into the hut and found that she had indeed awoken.

"Wh-what… happened?" Kagome asked between ragged breaths.

"When that youkai bit you, he injected some kind of venom into your bloodstream," replied the Inu-hanyou in front of her. "I'm going to take you back to your time so you can get that wound treated properly. There's not any cure yet in this era that would be able to stop the poison from getting to your heart."

As she grasped Inuyasha's haori tightly, she noticed that she was slowly losing consciousness. When he had exited the well house and jumped into her room, he laid her down on her bed and went to get her mother. "She's been bitten by a poisonous demon and we don't have any cure in our time. Get her to a doctor as soon as you can," he said to Mrs. Higurashi as he ran out of the shrine and jumped back into the well. The truth was, he couldn't think about what would happen if she died. _Maybe she'll get better so I can tell her how I feel._

He didn't know that at this time, Shippo sat in Kaede's hut thinking of how he could tell her when she returned. _I need to tell Kagome how I feel. And I need to do it as soon as possible. I know that Inuyasha loves her, even if she doesn't, and I don't know what I'll do if I never tell her and Inuyasha beats me to it. He always hits me, but every time I tell her she sits him. Does she love me? And not the way a mother loves her pup?_

Meanwhile, Kagome's mother had taken her to the hospital, and the doctor had given her anti-biotics to take that would stop the poison from entering her heart and killing her. As she lay in her bed, she felt an emptiness in her soul, like something had been drawn from her body. Little did she know that the lizard's venom had put a shield on her Jewel Shards that kept them from being used for a period of time. When she was feeling better and the poison had dissipated from her blood, she decided to take a journey down the well to tell her friends that she was alright. But when she jumped in, time seemed to speed up around her, while leaving her in slow-motion. When she reached the bottom of the well, she noticed that it seemed older. She tried to climb out of the well, but she couldn't move. _I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I died, I'm dead._ This thought kept replaying itself over and over inside her head for what seemed like hours. _Wait, if I'm dead, how am I able to think? And argue with myself?_ At this thought, she was finally able to move. When she climbed out of the well, she noticed that some things had changed since her last visit. But what she noticed first was the handsome young kitsune fox that was walking away from the well. He looked somewhat familiar, with his long red hair tied into a ponytail, a cream-colored tail, and emerald green eyes. The blue haori and black hakamas moved gently in the breeze that blew past. Even without youkai senses, you could tell that he had been waiting for something and hadn't gotten it, for he walked with his shoulders down and his feet dragging. _That looks a lot like Shippo… but it couldn't be! He was only eight when I left. Could it be a relative of his?_ Her question was answered when she muttered, "That can't be him. I only left the shrine five minutes ago! But he sure is handsome!" With his youkai hearing, the young kitsune turned toward her. _Is that… is it really Kagome!_ As he ran toward her, Kagome pulled an arrow out of the quiver on her back. She didn't know _who_ it was, but she didn't want to be unarmed in the hands of a demon. When she saw the look of confusion on his face, she lowered her bow. "Excuse me, sir, but do you know of a half-demon called Inuyasha who is traveling with two humans named Miroku and Sango, and two demons, Kirara, a neko-youkai, and Shippo, a kitsune?" she asked the boy, who appeared to be her age. _She… she doesn't recognize me. Maybe she'll recognize the sound of my voice._ "Yes, I do, Kagome. But I have no clue where Inuyasha is these days…" he trailed off. When she heard him speak, a light went off in her head. _Wha-what happened to him! Last time I saw Shippo, he was just a little kid!_ "Sh-Shippo… is that _you_!" _Kami, he's grown up quite a bit! He's handsome, too! Where the hell did that come from! Shippo's my friend! _As they hugged, a cold voice said, "So, you finally decided to come back. A little late if you ask me." Both Kagome and Shippo recognized the voice of Kikyo, Kagome's past incarnation and Inuyasha's past lover. "Inuyasha is long-gone. He left the village as soon about three years ago waiting for you to come back, and I have heard that he is searching for a mate. What makes you think you can take him now? He's probably forgotten you." Kagome heard Shippo growl, and he pushed her back as he drew his katana. "If you harm her, I'll have to kill you, Kikyo. I don't care _what_ feelings Inuyasha had toward you, but it will all be worth it. Trust me," he growled. _Is Shippo… protecting me from Kikyo? And when did he become a master at threats? Wait, _what_ feelings does Inuyasha have towards her that I don't already know about!_ At that time, Kikyo said, "Stay out of it. You're still a young kitsune. You have no place in this, but since you're curious, I'll just say this as a warning: stay away from Inuyasha." And with that, Kikyo turned and vanished into the forest.

**_Cliffy! I know! Please read and reveiw this and my other story! And some characters will make guest appearences as often as don't want to say the disclaimer myself. _**

****

**_Akire_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: Hi, I'm back! Sorry it took so long to update. I was out of town for a while, and then I just got busy. Please forgive me for not updating._**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters…but I do own plushies!**_

**Chapter Two- Explaining the Unknown**

As Kikyo walked away, Kagome couldn't help but wonder what she'd meant. It appeared that she hadn't been the one to mate with Inuyasha, otherwise she would have been with him, or she would have said so, because ever since he picked Kagome over Kikyo, Kikyo had been doing everything in her power to keep them apart so that she could have Inuyasha for herself. She looked at Shippo, curious. When he turned to her, she could tell by the look in his eyes that there had been a lot she had missed.

"Let's go somewhere where we can talk, Shippo. I must have missed a lot, but I don't know how…" Kagome trailed off. As they were walking, she found a nice place to sit by a nearby river so that they could talk.

As Shippo sat down on the ground, he had to think of how to tell her what had happened while she was gone, and to tell her that he loved her. When she sat down, he could tell that this would take a while to explain, so he made sure he was comfortable.

"Kagome," he began, "it's been seven years since we have heard from you, but you haven't changed… at all. You look exactly the same as you normally do when you come through the well. How…?" He couldn't imagine how everyone had aged in the past seven years, and she hadn't. Was there a time-stopping potion in her time that could make someone stay young?

"I don't know what happened, Shippo. I remember when that lizard attacked, and then I remember the hospital. As soon as I was better, I decided I would visit everyone and say that I was feeling better, but when I jumped in the well, time seemed to speed up around me. I noticed that the well looked older when the lights went down, but I also remember thinking that I was dead, and I couldn't move. But when I reasoned that I couldn't be thinking and arguing with myself if I was dead, and then I could move. That's when I crawled out of the well." Kagome didn't know _how_ it had happened, but she thought that it may have had something to do with that demon. She soon noticed that Shippo was talking, and turned her attention to the words spilling from his mouth.

"When you didn't come back, we started to get worried. Kikyo was right; Inuyasha did leave three years ago, but we didn't know anything besides that. We just thought…" he trailed off. He couldn't bear to think of his rival and his crush together.

"Who's _we_?" Kagome asked politely, as she was confused. _Does Shippo already have a family of his own? _At that thought, Kagome's heart leapt into her throat as he replied.

"Me, Sango, Kirara, Miroku, and Kaede. Miroku and Sango have a family now. A little five year old girl named Tsuyu, and a little three year old boy named Nobunaga. Kaede is really old, and I think she's hanging on just to see you again."

At the mention of her best friends Sango and Miroku having a family, Kagome instantly perked up. She was so happy that Sango and Miroku finally admitted that they had feelings for each other.

"They have a family? That's great! Is Miroku still a pervert?" she asked, only half joking.

"Not really. I remember that at the wedding, Sango threatened him that if he even looked at another woman like he used to that she wouldn't bear him children and would feed him to a demon," he replied, laughing at the memory.

Kagome couldn't help but laugh when he said that. "That's… Sango… for you," she said between outbreaks of laughter.

_Music to my ears_, thought Shippo. When he asked if she wanted to visit them, and she responded happily, he started to walk towards the village. She couldn't wait to see the family Sango and Miroku have raised together.

**_A/N: Like it? Even if you don't, you could at least tell me. I know it's short, but until I get some serious ideas, it may take longer, as I tend to suffer from prolonged writer's block. So the chapters will be longer in the future, okay?_**

_**Next chapter: We finally see what Inuyasha has been up to. HMMMM……..but we may hear more from Kagome and Shippo before then. If you don't review, then I will be forced to make you wait to find out what happens with Inuyasha. MWAHAHAHA! I'm evil, I know! But, seriously, if I don't get some more reviews, you won't find out, or I may be forced to...kill them all off! (tear) I don't want to, but if the situation presents itself, I will. So, the moral of the story…no, more like the moral of the author's note, is REVIEW! Thankies!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi, I'm back! And I bring with me chapter three! I bet all of you are wondering who Inuyasha is going to get paired off with and I will say only this: I won't tell you! Read and find out! I had this scene planned even before I had the actual story started! Funny how that works, huh? But I think this couple will keep the story going until the final merge!**_

**_I don't own Inuyasha and co., but I do own all the rights to Tsuki! Haha! At least I own someone that is 'in' the series! Everything else belongs to Takahashi-sama._**

**Chapter Three- Child of the Wilderness**

While he was running through the newly familiar forest, he decided to stop for the night, for it would be the darkest night of the month. He didn't really want to be caught off guard by any demons or humans alike, so he just opted to take the time to think. As the sun set over the treetops of the forest, all he felt was a little tingling sensation as his demon-like demeanor fell to reveal the form he hated the most. He hated feeling helpless, but he knew that he would most likely get through the night without so much as seeing another living being until morning, when all would be well.

As he settled down for the night at the base of a tree, he thought he heard something. He looked at his surroundings, but the search for the source of the sound was inconclusive. _Must've been my imagination. Either that or the wind._ Just as he was about to fall into an alert slumber, he heard the same noise again. _That definitely wasn't the wind._ It sounded like... singing! He couldn't believe that someone was here, and singing, nonetheless. Slowly, he stood up and started to make his way over to the place the voice seemed to be coming from. Only when he reached the bushes nearby did he see her. A girl who appeared to be around sixteen, with waist length chocolate brown hair wearing brown hakamas the same color as her hair and a turquoise haori, was sitting on a rock, her face in her hands. He could barely hear the words of the song that appeared to be soothing her between her sobs.

_Child of the wilderness_

_Born into emptiness_

_Learn to be lonely_

_Learn to find your way in darkness._

_Who will be there for you_

_Comfort and care for you_

_Learn to be lonely_

_Learn to be your one companion_

_Never dreamed out in the world_

_There are arms to hold you_

_you've always known_

_your heart was on its own_

_so laugh in your loneliness_

_child of the wilderness_

_learn to be lonely_

_learn how to love life that is lived alone_

_learn to be lonely_

_life can be lived_

_life can be loved_

_alone_

After she had finished her lament, she took a few deep breaths to control the racking sobs, but to no avail. All he could do was stand there and watch her. Her song had tugged at his heart, like a familiar friend. He also realized that the song held more to him than just words. It represented how he felt at times, alone, unloved, unaccepted. _But why would she be singing this? She doesn't look like anyone to be shunned or unaccepted._ He then noticed that lying on the ground by her other things, were bandages. When she finally stood, eyes red and face streaked with tears, he noticed that she had bandages around both of her wrists, and that she had lain her katana behind all of her belongings.

When she unsheathed her sword, he noticed that the blade had blood on it. _Is it…is it her own blood? Did she try to cut her wrists?_

As this thought passed through his head, he couldn't help but notice the look of extreme sadness and depression in her chocolate brown eyes. She looked like everyone that she had known and loved had either died or had rejected her. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, so when he heard her crying again, he stepped out of the bushes, trying to make some noise as to let the girl know he was there, so that he didn't startle her.

She spun around to face him, not knowing what to expect, and she saw a boy around her age in hakamas and a haori of a reddish color. She noticed his jet black hair, and the look of concern in his violet-blue eyes. She looked at him strangely until he spoke.

"Umm…are you okay?" he asked in a soft voice. "I heard you crying, but what caught my attention was that song. It was beautiful."

This caught her off guard, so all she could do was reply a shy "Thank you". She didn't know why this boy would go out of his way just to see if she was okay. She still didn't let down her guard, however, for the last time that that had happened she ended up with a broken wrist and several cuts and bruises. She eyed him suspiciously when he sat down beside her. She couldn't think of what she'd done to deserve to have someone care about her.

He sat there, just being with this strange girl. He felt concerned about her, like he cared what happened to her, this human girl that in fifty years would be dust in the wind. He was also contemplating asking her what was wrong, but he didn't get the chance, for she spoke before he could.

"Why do you care about me? You don't even know me, yet you came here tonight before I could do any more damage. Why?" She couldn't get it out of her system that a complete stranger would care about her. _He won't care when and if he finds out what I truly am._ All she wanted to know is why someone that didn't even know her, who had just met her for the first time, would care and be concerned about her wellbeing. Her father cared about her, and he was killed while in battle. Her mother had cared, and had been slain before her very eyes. Her older half sister sold her into slavery, and she was beaten daily, just because she was what she was. No one had been able to protect her from the vile villagers that had almost killed her on more than one occasion. No one cared. So why should this guy?

"Well," he responded, "I never could stand the sight of a woman crying. But I was nearby and heard you, and I was curious, so I came. I noticed the bandages on your wrists, soaked through with fresh blood. If you don't mind me asking, why did you cut yourself?"

She sniffed as she felt tears approaching, and said, "Well, everyone who ever cared about me is either dead or became a traitor. My parents died when I was just a little kid, and my mother's other daughter sold me to a demon lord at the age of five. Since then, anyone who dared to approach a relationship with me has either died or has done something to betray me. Finally, after about seven years in the slave trade, I escaped, but it almost cost me my life. I have lived in this forest for over a year and I normally know what and who goes in and comes out.

But when a young lord came through here a few weeks ago, he tried to kidnap me saying that he would take me for his wife, but all he really wanted was a slave. When I refused and fought him, he dropped me saying that no one would want a thing like me, and that I was better off dead." After that, she started to sob silently, but the young man next to her couldn't stand her crying, so he pulled her to him. When over the shock that he did that, she started to sob into is shirt. When her sobs quieted, he looked at her and asked her something.

"I got all caught up in the moment that I forgot to ask your name," he said, with a little laughter in his voice. This made her laugh, and so she responded.

"My name is Tsuki. What's yours?"

"Nice to meet you, Tsuki. My name's Inuyasha."

After that comment, she looked up and smiled at him. _Can I really trust him? Or is he just another slave trader?_ She couldn't make up her mind, and the sun was rising slowly. When both of them noticed, they jumped up. _I can't let him see me after sunrise! What will he think of me?_

She called out to him before she ran off to the darkness of the Forest of Kuragari. "Hey, Inuyasha! If you ever want to talk, come by the largest tree in the forest. I'll be there, since I practically live in the forest!"

"Okay, see you one day! I'll stop by and say hello!" he answered.

Both of them were running in opposite directions, and neither of them noticed until much later something that was very important. He forgot that he was talking to a person that didn't know his secret, and so did she. As they were walking away, neither noticed the changes occuring with the rising sun that were happening to the person they were just talking to.

**_A/N: Cliffie! I know. I think this was the longest chapter so far in the whole story. Hey, I was thinking of deleting my other story, so if you want me to keep it up and update, please review. Otherwise I will delete it in a week's time._**

_**Disclaimer: The song 'Learn to be Lonely' was not of my own creation. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, sung by Minnie Driver. This song was created for the 2004 motion picture 'The Phantom of the Opera' and can be found in the end credits, since it wasn't placed in the movie.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: OMG! I'm sooooo sorry for not updating sooner. I've had a lot on my plate with school, and I have had a ton of writer's block and... okay, I'll stop with the excuses, but they are true. I really didn't mean for you to have to wait this long! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! Okay, anyway, on with the story. We will see what Kagome and Shippo have done with their spare time..._**

_**Disclaimer: I won't say it anymore after this, but anything you recognize I don't own. Takahashi-sama does. (sigh)**_

**Chapter Four- Delightful Meetings Long Past Due**

As Shippo and Kagome walked towards the village that housed all of their friends, Kagome was delighted at the prospect of meeting Sango and Miroku's children. She wondered what they looked like, and if they were just like their parents. She hoped that little Nobunaga wasn't a hentai like his father once was.

Shippo turned his attention from the road that they were following to his companion. She hadn't changed a bit. She still dressed in the short skirt and long sleeved shirt that she normally wore when in the Sengoku Jidai visiting them and hunting down Naraku. He remembered her as though he had just seen her yesterday. He especially remembered the way she treated him like family, not an orphan. She would always be like his mother and protect him from Inuyasha when he was in a bad mood. He still remembered the day they met. He remembered the days that both Miroku and Sango joined them. He still laughed at the memories of Miroku and Sango fighting. That was the funniest thing about them.

**))Flashback((**

_It was right after Sango fell off of Kirara when they were fighting that huge scorpion thing. Miroku caught her before she could hit the ground._

"_Sango! Sango, you're not hurt, are you?"_

"_Thanks so much, Miroku. You saved me from..."_

_You could see the monk's hand on her thigh. Sango was furious. A very loud 'slap' could be heard._

"_Keep your hands to yourself, pervert!"_

"_You misunderstand. I was just making sure that your flawless body wasn't harmed in any way."_

"_Not necessary, thank you!"_

**))End flashback((**

He still laughed about that. He pulled out of his memories just in time to realize that they were nearing the village. He wondered if they would remember Kagome. _Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and find out._

Kagome noticed that a village was drawing near, and wondered if this was the village that her friends lived in. She was getting excited at the prospect of seeing her best friends again. Sango was like a sister to her, and Miroku was like the older brother she never had. She couldn't help but wonder what had become of the hanyou that had traveled with them. _Oh well. It doesn't really matter anymore. He's gone, and I can't do anything about it. It's his life. If I never see him again that's okay with me._

As they passed the first hut, Shippo turned to Kagome.

"They may not realize it's you at first. They haven't been as happy as they were when you were around since their children were born. They're still happy, but not like they used to be," Shippo told her. He hated the thought of Sango and Miroku not remembering her.

"That's okay. If it takes them a while, that's better than not at all, right?" she said to him with a smile. Oh, how he had missed that smile. He couldn't wait to see their faces when she walked through the door.

They stopped at a small hut that looked like it was tended on a weekly basis. Kagome wondered what business they have here, when Shippo looked at her.

"This is Kaede's hut. I bet she will want to know you are back. Come on."

With that, the two entered the small hut, only to be hit by the scent of herbal tea.

"Lady Kaede, where are you?" Shippo called.

"In here, child. I didn't expect you for a few more days. Normally you spend a few days at the well." Kaede didn't know that he had returned with someone.

"Kaede, there's someone here to see you," he replied, walking into another room.

As Kaede came into the room that they were in, she stopped cold. Her eyes went wide as she took in Kagome's presence.

"Ka-Kagome, child, is that you?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, Kaede. I'm back. I don't know what happened to cause me to be gone for so long, but I'm back," Kagome said, with a small smile on her face.

After talking with Kaede for a little while, Shippo said, "Well, if you will excuse us, Kaede, I think that Sango and Miroku would be thrilled to see Kagome again."

"Aye, child. You are right. Just come back soon, will ye?" the old crone asked.

Kagome smiled and nodded her reply. Then they left the hut and started walking towards a bigger hut. There were two little kids running around playing outside, and Shippo called them over to him quietly, so that he wouldn't alert their parents.

"Uncle Shippo!" they cried in unison. They ran over to the young kitsune and hugged him. He returned both hugs with a small laugh and told them to be quiet.

"Listen, guys. Remember hearing me and your parents talking about someone named Kagome?" he asked. They nodded. "Well, here she is," he said, revealing the miko. The children stood in awe as they gazed upon her face.

She bent down so that she was eyelevel with them. "Hi, I'm a friend of your parents and 'Uncle' Shippo. My name's Kagome. You must be Tsuyu and Nobunaga. I've heard a lot about you two," she said with a small smile.

"We've heard Mommy, Daddy and Uncle Shippo talking about you," little Tsuyu said, excitedly.

"But you don't look as old as Mommy or Daddy, or even Uncle Shippo. How could they have been friends with you seven years ago?" Nobunaga asked.

Kagome giggled. "You're too kind. I'm really the same age as your parents. Speaking of them, don't tell them that Uncle Shippo brought me here, okay? I want it to be a surprise!"

"Okay!" the two youthful children said, running off to play.

Kagome stood up and smiled. _I would love to have kids of my own one day. But in order to do that, I have to have a boyfriend and get married. Since I _definitely_ don't plan on going home... sigh I guess I'll just have to move here._

As Kagome was thinking about the topic, Shippo couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her.

_She's so beautiful, kind, and all the way around perfect. I wish I could tell her how I_ _feel about her._

They walked towards the hut. Shippo knocked on the door. "Miroku? Sango? Can you guys come here for a second?" he called throughout the house. They heard footsteps approaching, and then two people were at the door. Miroku and Sango stood at their door, wondering why Shippo was here.

"What is it, Shippo?" Sango asked.

Shippo grinned and stepped away, revealing Kagome.

Miroku and Sango couldn't believe their eyes. Kagome was standing before them, looking like she had seven years ago.

Finally, the gaping couple managed to regain the power of speech.

"Ka...Kagome!"

_**SOOOOOOOO sorry! I started working on this chappie about a month ago, and I'm just now posting it! Don't hurt me! PLEASE! LOL**_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey! I finally got another review for my other story! YAY! I would appreciate it greatly if you would check it out, at least. As soon as I can, that special reviewer will have a new chapter to read! Okay, enough rambling. I suppose you all want to know what happens with Inuyasha and Tsuki, am I right? Or do you want to know what is going on with Kagome and the rest of the gang? Well, in this chapter you'll find out how everything is connected. There are no coincidences.**

**Chapter Five- Everything's Connected**

As Tsuki ran to her tree, she noticed that her body was pulsating as it was hit by the morning sun. She closed her eyes as she stopped running to let her transformation fully take place. A few minutes later, her brown hair became streaked with bright turquoise highlights and her human ears disappeared into her head and reappeared as brown and blue cat ears. Her nails lengthened into claws, and she grew a brown fluffy tail.

When she opened her eyes, they weren't brown, but a bright turquoise blue. On her forehead there were two small blue diamonds on either side of a larger one. She smiled, revealing cat-like teeth. She sprinted off toward her tree so that she could clean up before visiting her friends in the nearby village.

"Ka...Kagome!"

Miroku and Sango couldn't believe their eyes. It was indeed Kagome standing in front of them, looking exactly as she did the last time they had seen her. Millions of questions were running through their minds, but what they really wanted to know is why it took her so long to come back and why hadn't she aged in the past seven years.

"It's really you!" Sango squealed and hugged Kagome. She had missed the girl that was like her sister. Kagome hugged her back. Miroku soon joined his wife in hugging their longtime friend. Kagome was slightly wary, even thought Shippo had told her that he had stopped being a pervert.

After the large group hug, they went inside to talk without the children interrupting them. The couple had a few questions for the teenage miko.

"So Kagome," Miroku started, "why did it take you so long to return? And why do you look exactly the same as you did seven years ago?"

Kagome sighed. She should have known this was coming.

"Well, remember when I was bitten by that lizard youkai? After Inuyasha took me home, my mother called an ambulance and I was taken to a hospital. When I was feeling better, I decided to come here and check on you guys, but when I jumped through the well, time seemed to speed up around me, more than it usually did. The well looked older when the lights stopped, and I guess I was under some sort of spell that made me think I was dead. But how can a dead person argue with herself? I climbed out of the well, and I saw Shippo, of course he was older and I didn't recognize him at first. Then Kikyo came out of the woods and was saying that Inuyasha had left about three years ago.

"After she left, me and Shippo tried to figure out what could have happened. Soon we started on our way here. Before visiting you guys, we made a stop at Kaede's. And that's what has happened up until now."

The couple was speechless. They hadn't even known that the youkai had been poisonous. _Shows how much Inuyasha really told us,_ the couple both thought.

They decided to change the subject. "Hey, Kagome, you remember Sesshomaru never really liked humans, right?" Sango asked.

"Yeah. The only human he would put up with was Rin," Kagome answered, curious as to what the news was.

"Right, and remember how he would kill almost anyone who touched her?"

Kagome nodded.

Sango was getting excited. They hadn't even told Shippo this yet. "Shippo, I don't think we told you, did we?" Miroku asked the kitsune.

"No, you didn't. What about Sesshomaru?" he replied.

"Well, he finally swallowed his pride and asked her to be his mate!" Sango exclaimed. It was widely known that the stern taiyoukai wasn't fond of hanyous or humans, but this girl was the only human he could stand, and therefore if he mated with her his pups would be hanyous.

"What did she say!" Kagome asked eagerly.

"She said yes!" Sango told her happily.

"WAI! KAWAII! Maybe he'll be nicer now that he has a mate, and he couldn't have forgotten that if he mated a human that his pups would be hanyous, so now he can't hate them," Kagome concluded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down a minute. When did this happen?" Shippo asked, totally confused.

"It happened about six months ago, am I right?" said a voice from the doorway. They all turned around, and the kids ran in screaming.

"Auntie Tsuki!" the children cried, running over to the neko hanyou. They grabbed hold of her hakamas.

"Hey, Roku, Sango, Shippo. How you guys been?"

Kagome just stared at the mysterious girl. Tsuki caught her gaze.

"You're Kagome. I have heard of you. These guys will never shut up about you. I'm Tsuki."

Kagome stood and shook the girl's hand. She reminded Kagome of Inuyasha because, like Inuyasha, this girl was a hanyou. But unlike Inuyasha, this girl exerted an air of confidence, and Kagome had the feeling that this girl didn't care what people thought of her being a half-demon.

Shippo cleared his throat. "Tsuki doesn't visit very often. Normally once a month for a few days."

That clicked in Kagome's mind. "After her human night."

Tsuki nodded. "Yes."

Inuyasha was walking around the forest after he had left Tsuki. He had long since changed back to his hanyou form. He noticed he was near a village, and he also noticed several familiar scents wafting from it.

"Miroku? Shippo? Sango? Kirara? Ka-Kagome!" he said to himself. "No, it can't be... can it?"

He ran off towards the village with the scents taunting him. Soon he caught wind of an unfamiliar scent going the same way he was. It was all over the forest, but this was the most recent trail. Some were stronger than others, but the weaker ones were newer than all but this trail. He decided to follow it since it wasn't really out of his way.

He dashed off following the mixed scents. He couldn't believe Kagome's strawberries and cream scent was still in this forest. _But how could it be in this forest? I don't think she was ever here. And why would her scent be this strong after all these years unless it's not an old scent?_

He didn't know why she never came back unless she had died in her world. He never went through the well because the last time he had gone to get Kagome she had sat him until he was six feet underground. He had decided from then on that Kagome would get here herself or not at all.

He reached the outskirts of the village and recognized it immediately. It was the village by the Goshinboku and the well. The scents were stronger, all of them, even the mysterious one. He followed his nose to a hut where several people were talking and some kids were running around.

He walked toward the hut and heard several familiar voices. _No way... it can't be._ He entered the hut and everything went silent.

"Ka...Kagome!" he muttered, so that only Kagome could hear him, but what he forgot was that there was a kitsune and another hanyou in the room with him.

Tsuki recognized his voice and panicked. _Oh my KAMI! It's Inuyasha! He can't see me like this! He can't- wait, he's a hanyou too! Phew!_

"Inu... Inuyasha!" Kagome whispered. Tsuki's eyes went wide. _They know each other!_

"I didn't know you two knew each other! Why is it that no one bothers to tell me these things!" Tsuki's hands went to her hair as she was going to pull it out.

Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. The beautiful neko hanyou in front of him sounded like Tsuki! "Tsuki!"

"What is going on! How do you guys know each other!" Kagome screeched.

"DAMARE!" Sango yelled. The noise level in the room dropped dramatically. "Okay, first, Tsuki, this is Kagome. She used to travel with us, as did Inuyasha. They used to... well, they liked each other... a lot. Inuyasha, this is Tsuki, and ever since you left and we all moved here, Tsuki has been our friend and took care of Tsuyu and Nobunaga when no one else could. Obviously, Tsuki and Inuyasha have met, and neither of them has filled us in on the story behind that yet."

Tsuki and Inuyasha sat down, one on each side of the hut, both scowling. Tsuki sighed. Now was definitely not the time for this. The cuts on her arms were healing, much to her disappointment, and they hurt like hell. She was in the mood to punch something right now.

Inuyasha grunted and crossed his arms with a glare in Tsuki's direction. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now. He hated surprises, and he considered this a surprise.

Tsuki looked down at her clawed feet. "Why does everyone always tend to piss me off while I'm depressed?" she asks herself, so silently that Inuyasha and Shippo could barely hear her, even with their super-sensitive hearing. She sighed in frustration. "Whatever. If you guys need me, you know where to find me."

**Okay. Done with Chapter Five. Hope you liked it. Review, please.**

**Ja ne.**


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